Nice to have the displacement of the 4.3. Check a few catalogs for parts. Edelbrock still has an intake manifold. Not sure if they still make a cam for it. Shop around at Jeg's and other shops. Good luck
Hot rod 90 deg gm v6, Chevy or Buick?
- Thread starter Red91
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Buick has had both turbo and blower setups. Turbo for top end and supercharger for torque. In a light weight rig the Buick would crush Camrys.
If I remember correctly, didn't NASCAR's Busch series run a V6 back in the 90's for a bit? If you could locate one of those, that would be an excellent foundation for some V6 power.
Towards the end of the model run for the 3.8 Buick, Pontiac, and Chevrolet all had FWD supercharged versions available. The 3.8 was also raced in NASCAR, IMSA, and CART. It is one of the best engines ever produced by GM. They only stopped production when they introduced dual overhead cam all aluminum V6's for better fuel economy and emissions.
All supercharged 3.8L's were front wheel drive here in the states, Some Holden cars had RWD supercharged 3.8L's.
Everyone is wearing rose colored glasses over the Gen 1 carbureted 3.8L Buick, What a TURD!! Let's not pretend they are GN/GNX engines.
The Series II 3.8L put in F-Bodies is the one you want, They can even be bought with a T5 transmission. Keep the SFI & DIS.....It isn't rocket science.
The '96 & up Vortec 4.3L is a really good engine, They get beat to death in fullsize fleet vans/pickups for 300,000-400,000 miles & somehow the 3.8L Buick is more rugged??
The 2007-2013 ones out of GMT900 pick-ups have DIS instead of a junky distributor.
Everyone is wearing rose colored glasses over the Gen 1 carbureted 3.8L Buick, What a TURD!! Let's not pretend they are GN/GNX engines.
The Series II 3.8L put in F-Bodies is the one you want, They can even be bought with a T5 transmission. Keep the SFI & DIS.....It isn't rocket science.
The '96 & up Vortec 4.3L is a really good engine, They get beat to death in fullsize fleet vans/pickups for 300,000-400,000 miles & somehow the 3.8L Buick is more rugged??
The 2007-2013 ones out of GMT900 pick-ups have DIS instead of a junky distributor.
I appreciate the replies so far. As I said, in this instance I'm not interested in messing with efi and a bunch of wiring. I'm not trying to build a reliable dd, I've already got a perfectly fine 05 impala for that. I'm trying to build a toy. I'm also not trying to build a barn burner either, but I think the low end grunt of one of these old pushrod v6's, combined with the relatively low weight of the Suzuki, would make a fun little hot rod that would keep people scratching their heads.
Btw, I haven't yet mentioned yanking out the stock independent rear axle assembly and trying to fit a Ford or Toyota live unit under there. ...
Btw, I haven't yet mentioned yanking out the stock independent rear axle assembly and trying to fit a Ford or Toyota live unit under there. ...
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If you must have a grunty pushrod V6, I'd argue that, of your two choices ,the 4.3 is the way to go. 3.8L will make power, but the 4.3 was the "truck" engine for a reason. Lots of low end power and a flat curve.
If you aren't brand loyal, keep in mind that the 3.9 Chrysler, I believe, rated higher than the N/A 4.3L GM ever was (and it feels like it when you drive one). Plenty durable unit, just like the 4.3: it's just an old 318 small block Mopar with 2 cylinders cut off.
If you aren't brand loyal, keep in mind that the 3.9 Chrysler, I believe, rated higher than the N/A 4.3L GM ever was (and it feels like it when you drive one). Plenty durable unit, just like the 4.3: it's just an old 318 small block Mopar with 2 cylinders cut off.
Originally Posted by pair of Blazers
here is what I can tell you about the 4.3
get a non balanced block, 91 down 96+ heads
Comp cams makes a few cams for this block
www.summitracing.com has a full selection of Comp Cams.
here is what I can tell you about the 4.3
get a non balanced block, 91 down 96+ heads
Comp cams makes a few cams for this block
www.summitracing.com has a full selection of Comp Cams.
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Bench racing fantasy land.
Whats the health of the engine?
If rebuildable, just fix that up and away you go.
Other wise i fear this will languish for years.
Whats the health of the engine?
If rebuildable, just fix that up and away you go.
Other wise i fear this will languish for years.
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I apologize for being a donkey butt.
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$50 site donor 2024
Originally Posted by clinebarger
All supercharged 3.8L's were front wheel drive here in the states, Some Holden cars had RWD supercharged 3.8L's.
Everyone is wearing rose colored glasses over the Gen 1 carbureted 3.8L Buick, What a TURD!! Let's not pretend they are GN/GNX engines.
The Series II 3.8L put in F-Bodies is the one you want, They can even be bought with a T5 transmission. Keep the SFI & DIS.....It isn't rocket science.
The '96 & up Vortec 4.3L is a really good engine, They get beat to death in fullsize fleet vans/pickups for 300,000-400,000 miles & somehow the 3.8L Buick is more rugged??
The 2007-2013 ones out of GMT900 pick-ups have DIS instead of a junky distributor.
Having owned several great 3.8 Series II's in (her) cars and as many TBI 4.3's in regular cab 4WD's …I agree and yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Fort Worth
All supercharged 3.8L's were front wheel drive here in the states, Some Holden cars had RWD supercharged 3.8L's.
Everyone is wearing rose colored glasses over the Gen 1 carbureted 3.8L Buick, What a TURD!! Let's not pretend they are GN/GNX engines.
The Series II 3.8L put in F-Bodies is the one you want, They can even be bought with a T5 transmission. Keep the SFI & DIS.....It isn't rocket science.
The '96 & up Vortec 4.3L is a really good engine, They get beat to death in fullsize fleet vans/pickups for 300,000-400,000 miles & somehow the 3.8L Buick is more rugged??
The 2007-2013 ones out of GMT900 pick-ups have DIS instead of a junky distributor.
Having owned several great 3.8 Series II's in (her) cars and as many TBI 4.3's in regular cab 4WD's …I agree and yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Fort Worth
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Nah you're fine. I figure it will be a long project due to budget and time, the two most common causes for project deaths.
As I said in the original post, I plan on driving the car for awhile in its current state. There really isn't anything wrong with it, and a v6 build may not even be put in it. I may save the v6 project for a small pickup or something. I also wouldn't be opposed to finding a cheap v6 gbody GM, but the terms cheap and gbody are becoming less and less exclusive to one another.
As I said in the original post, I plan on driving the car for awhile in its current state. There really isn't anything wrong with it, and a v6 build may not even be put in it. I may save the v6 project for a small pickup or something. I also wouldn't be opposed to finding a cheap v6 gbody GM, but the terms cheap and gbody are becoming less and less exclusive to one another.
I always find my way back to a gm for one reason or another. The dodge v6 is a good suggestion, as is the Ford, but I probably won't go that route.
Originally Posted by clinebarger
All supercharged 3.8L's were front wheel drive here in the states, Some Holden cars had RWD supercharged 3.8L's.
Everyone is wearing rose colored glasses over the Gen 1 carbureted 3.8L Buick, What a TURD!! Let's not pretend they are GN/GNX engines.
The Series II 3.8L put in F-Bodies is the one you want, They can even be bought with a T5 transmission. Keep the SFI & DIS.....It isn't rocket science.
The '96 & up Vortec 4.3L is a really good engine, They get beat to death in fullsize fleet vans/pickups for 300,000-400,000 miles & somehow the 3.8L Buick is more rugged??
The 2007-2013 ones out of GMT900 pick-ups have DIS instead of a junky distributor.
I`d forgotten about the early 3.8 Buick being a dog. Believe it was also used in some jeep models in odd fire configuration. Agree the 4.3 is a good engine, had one in a 94 GMC.
suv.
All supercharged 3.8L's were front wheel drive here in the states, Some Holden cars had RWD supercharged 3.8L's.
Everyone is wearing rose colored glasses over the Gen 1 carbureted 3.8L Buick, What a TURD!! Let's not pretend they are GN/GNX engines.
The Series II 3.8L put in F-Bodies is the one you want, They can even be bought with a T5 transmission. Keep the SFI & DIS.....It isn't rocket science.
The '96 & up Vortec 4.3L is a really good engine, They get beat to death in fullsize fleet vans/pickups for 300,000-400,000 miles & somehow the 3.8L Buick is more rugged??
The 2007-2013 ones out of GMT900 pick-ups have DIS instead of a junky distributor.
I`d forgotten about the early 3.8 Buick being a dog. Believe it was also used in some jeep models in odd fire configuration. Agree the 4.3 is a good engine, had one in a 94 GMC.
suv.
Originally Posted by Red91
I appreciate the replies so far. As I said, in this instance I'm not interested in messing with efi and a bunch of wiring. I'm not trying to build a reliable dd, I've already got a perfectly fine 05 impala for that. I'm trying to build a toy. I'm also not trying to build a barn burner either, but I think the low end grunt of one of these old pushrod v6's, combined with the relatively low weight of the Suzuki, would make a fun little hot rod that would keep people scratching their heads.
Btw, I haven't yet mentioned yanking out the stock independent rear axle assembly and trying to fit a Ford or Toyota live unit under there. ...
It's not a bunch of wiring....I did engine swaps professionally for 15 years so I know a thing or two about it! V6 swaps were never very popular though I did a few including a 4.3L/NV3500 swap in a Jeep Wrangler & a 3.8L/T5 swap into a Triumph TR7.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/n6ndM0h.jpg "[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]")
I appreciate the replies so far. As I said, in this instance I'm not interested in messing with efi and a bunch of wiring. I'm not trying to build a reliable dd, I've already got a perfectly fine 05 impala for that. I'm trying to build a toy. I'm also not trying to build a barn burner either, but I think the low end grunt of one of these old pushrod v6's, combined with the relatively low weight of the Suzuki, would make a fun little hot rod that would keep people scratching their heads.
Btw, I haven't yet mentioned yanking out the stock independent rear axle assembly and trying to fit a Ford or Toyota live unit under there. ...
It's not a bunch of wiring....I did engine swaps professionally for 15 years so I know a thing or two about it! V6 swaps were never very popular though I did a few including a 4.3L/NV3500 swap in a Jeep Wrangler & a 3.8L/T5 swap into a Triumph TR7.
I'm not going to argue with you. I said I wasn't interested in doing a fuel injected engine.
That is a nice looking swap though.
That is a nice looking swap though.
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Some of the 4.3's you will find will be TBI … not rocket science there …
Well the plan has changed. I'm not going to keep the Suzuki. I am still, however, interested in pursuing a project of sorts with a gm v6. I've got some ideas and will keep anyone posted who might be interested.
Originally Posted by skyactiv
Kinda a dumb idea if you ask me. And expensive. It'd be a joke if you go through all that and get spanked by a stock late model V6 Camry, which you probably would.
A traditional Bandit Trans Am can get smoked by a late model Camry.
Why own a classic car at all then?
Kinda a dumb idea if you ask me. And expensive. It'd be a joke if you go through all that and get spanked by a stock late model V6 Camry, which you probably would.
A traditional Bandit Trans Am can get smoked by a late model Camry.
Why own a classic car at all then?
How about the Gen V GM 4.3 V6? It's been in production since 2014, and should be available for reasonable cost from dismantlers. It's a plenty stout engine with 285 HP from the factory, which is as much as the turbo 4.3 V6 in the GMC Syclone and Typhoon. Neither the Buick 3.8 or traditional Chevy 4.3 ever made that much power naturally aspirated from the factory.
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